


Rescue

by LovelyLittleGrim



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Crush, Gay Bar, M/M, kiss, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23722504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyLittleGrim/pseuds/LovelyLittleGrim
Summary: Josh is mentally adding tonight to the long list of crappy weekends he’s spent out on the town on his own, when he’s suddenly saved by a familiar face.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Josh Russo
Comments: 16
Kudos: 199





	Rescue

The fake smile Josh is working to keep on his face is starting to make his jaws ache, the drink in his hand is long empty and he’s honestly dying for another one despite what he keeps telling the man next to him. 

“Let me buy you another drink,” the man persists. His name is Tim or Tom something along those lines. 

“No, I’ve already had my limit for tonight, really,” Josh says for what must be the hundredth time. The guy just isn't getting the hint that Josh isn’t interested in him. He’s attractive and seems smart, but he’s one of those men that are too pushy, definitely the type to not take no for an answer and Josh is tired of being near him. 

Not for the millionth time Josh wishes that Maddie had come out with him. 

“Come on, you’ve only had two,” the guy says and there’s something condescending in his tone that sets Josh’s alarm bells ringing. “One or two more wont hurt.” 

“I said--”

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you,” a warm voice says suddenly next to his ear, a heavy arm draping across his shoulders like a coat. 

Josh startles, head twisting to the side, nose brushing along the line of Buck’s chin. “Buck?”

He pulls his head back to look up into Buck’s face in surprise. “What are you doing here?” 

“Who are you?” Buck asks, gaze directed on the guy next to Josh. 

“I’m Tim,” he says and doesn’t look pleased to see Buck.

“Cool,” Buck says and then tugs at Josh gently, “I’m taking him with me. See ya, Tom.” 

Josh slides from his stool and lets Buck guide him through the club away from the creep, he tries to ask what the hell but Buck just grins and gestures to the edges of the club where there’s less people and more chairs. 

“Sorry,” Buck says once they’ve found somewhere that isn’t completely sticky or occupied. “You looked uncomfortable.” 

“I was,” Josh admits sheepishly, “but what are you doing here? Doesn’t exactly seem like your scene.” 

With a laugh, Buck waves his hand towards the left and Josh sees a pair of women sitting in a booth, both of them are lovely, with wide grins on their faces as they wave at him. One of them looks vaguely familiar. 

“It’s usually not my scene, but I’m expanding my...” Buck says, his eyebrows knitting together, “my something. I don’t remember what Hen called it. Horizontal?”

“Your horizons?” Josh asks. 

“That sounds right, horizons.” Buck grins. 

“So you’re branching out to gay clubs?” Josh says as he drops down into the booth beside them and slides to the back. 

“I’ve been to gay clubs,” Buck tells him as he takes the spot across from Josh. “I usually just go home with someone though after a few drinks. I’m here to see the drag show with Hen and Karen. They think I need to know more LGBT culture.” 

Most of what Buck says doesn’t register after the fact that Buck said he goes home with people from clubs like this.

“You like men?” Josh asks, voice louder than he intended. 

There’s a confused little purse of Buck’s mouth. “Yeah. I thought you knew that.” 

“How would I know that?” 

“Gaydar? Buck snorts. “Hen swears it’s a real thing. Or, Maddie could have told you.” 

“I learned to stop trusting my Gaydar in highschool, Buck,” Josh laughs. “One too many close calls and you cut that shit off.” 

Buck nods. ‘Yeah, I get what you mean.” He drums his fingers on the table, the sound of them hidden beneath the heavy bass of the music. “Maddie really didn’t tell you?” 

Josh shakes his head. ‘No, and trust me, that’s something I wouldn’t forget.” 

“Surprise then, I guess.” Buck says at last, hands waving just above the table top.

The gesture and the low way Buck says it makes Josh laugh. He’s only been sitting with Buck for five minutes but he’s already having a better time than he had the last hour and half he’s been here. 

“Lucky me,” Josh says through his laughter. “Otherwise who knows how long I would have been prisoner over there.” 

Buck’s eyes flick over to the bar where the guy is. He has some other poor dude trapped in his sights. ‘Not your type?” 

“I don’t think creepy is anyone type,” Josh mutters as he looks too. “He’s not bad looking, I don’t have anything against blondes with long legs, but he was just…too pushy, you know.’ 

Buck arches a brow. “Yeah.” There’s a little smirk forming on the edges of buck’s mouth. “Can I interest you in a different blonde with long legs? He’s not creepy and I have it on good authority he’s great company.” 

“Oh, yeah?’ Josh leans forward on the table. “Any other good selling points?”

“He’s got friends with really great seats to the drag show that’s starting soon,” Buck adds. “And, he might even throw in a round of drinks, if you want, no pressure on drinking or anything, though.’ 

“Sold, I’m his,” Josh says with a clap of his hands. 

Buck’s face goes a little red and he mumbles something that Josh doesn’t get to hear to ask about because Buck is up out of his seat and leading Josh over to the table with the women near the stage. 

“Hey Buckley,” one of the woman says and there’s something pleasant and teasing in her tone. “Who’s your friend?” 

Buck’s face goes a little darker beneath the strobbing lights of the club. “This is Josh, I’d mentioned him a few times, remember. Josh this is Hen.” 

“A few?” Hen says with a snort. 

The woman next to Hen nudges her, a large smile on her face. “It’s nice to meet you Josh, I’m Karen.” 

Josh shakes their hands and they scoot around in the booth, making more room for Josh and Buck to sit. 

“I’m gonna grab us some drinks before the show, orders?” Buck says pointing at them all one by one and repeating the drink back after they tell him. “Coming right up.” 

Then he’s disappearing through the crowd and leaving Josh to the two women that havent stopped staring at him since he came over. 

“So,” Hen says, “you and Buck seem close.” 

Josh nods. “I mean, we’re not best friends or anything but we see each other every other weekend at Maddie’s or Chimneys.” 

Hen nods.” Yeah, Chim’s told me about your game nights.” 

The vague familiarity suddenly disappears and Josh realizes he’s seen Hen’s picture in Chimney’s apartment. A group photo of the firehouse. She’s one of Buck's co-workers. 

The music cuts off suddenly, stalling any more conversation as a tall drag queen struts out onto the stage, commanding everyone’s attention. 

“Are you ready for the show of your life?” She asks and everyone cheers. 

Josh turns to search through the crowd for Buck and sees Buck leaning back against the bar staring right back at him. He smiles at Josh and waves, Josh can’t help but smile back. 

—

The show is amazing, from beside Josh, Buck is cheering as the final notes of the song fade out. He’s tipped more money than Josh even wants to think about, but he’s grinning wide and Josh can’t tear his eyes from the curve of it. 

“So,” he says loudly over the crowd, leaning in close to Buck so that his mouth is near Buck’s ear. Buck leans into him too, body tilted down. “Enjoy your first drag show?” 

Buck laughs, loud and delighted, head nodding. ‘Yeah, I’ve never, you now, really been an active member of this whole… society.” 

“Really?’ Josh is surprised. “What about the parades in the summer?” 

Shaking his head, Buck says, “I’ve never been.” 

“Wow. No wonder Hen and Karen dragged you out tonight, you’re practically a child.” 

Buck snorts. “There’s a lot that says I’m not.”

The implication isn’t lost on Josh and he flushes, head bobbing, “right.” He thinks back to what Buck had said earlier that night, about going home with someone every time he comes to one of these clubs. He can’t help but wonder who Buck will go home with tonight. 

Karen and Hen leave early, children and jobs they have to wake up to in the morning. Josh watches as Buck gives them tight hugs as he says goodbye. It’s clear how much they mean to Buck and the sight makes Josh’s chest feel oddly warm. The only person in his life that he has like that is Maddie. He’s glad that Buck has so many people that make up a family to surround himself with. 

“They’re nice,” Josh says once Buck is back in the booth beside him. 

“Yeah,” Buck grins wide. ‘They’re the best. 

“So, you need to run off to bed too?” Josh asks and hates how much he’s anticipating the answer. 

“Not yet.” Buck tells him, leaning back into the seat and stretching. “I’m enjoying myself.’ 

“Me too,” Josh admits, finger tracing the lines of condensation on his glass so he doesn’t stare at the tanned expanse of stomach Buck’s shirt is showing off as he stretches. He clears his throat once, twice and then says, “It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun.” 

Buck slouches back in his seat, arms coming to rest on the table top. Josh realizes suddenly that Buck has set next to him, instead of across from him. Their arms brush on the table, entirely too warm and thrilling. Josh goes still, terrified that Buck might move his arm away. 

Buck doesn’t. 

Instead, he leans a little more into the contact and says, “We should hang out together more often… just the two of us, I mean.” 

He’s not looking at Josh, his face directed away, eyes staring in the distance, but Josh can see his profile, can see the way that his neck has flushed and his ear has gone pink. It makes Josh feel brave. “Yeah, uh, I would like that.” 

Buck turns to him then and Josh can see the spread of pink across his cheeks as he smiles. “Yeah?” 

Josh nods, a smile on his own face. 

—

They don’t get any more drinks, but they don’t leave either. Instead they sit in the booth until they're kicked out, talking and laughing. Josh learns about where Buck grew up, how he came out to his sister, what his parents were like. Josh himself, talks about his first time with a man, how he had failed P.E in highschool, and the time he snuck out of a second story window to avoid being caught by his best friend's parents in college. 

It’s easy in a way not much else is and Josh forgets that this is his and Buck’s first time being alone together. It feels natural. Right. 

When they are kicked out of the club, Buck walks Josh to his waiting uber driver. 

“Can I call you, tomorrow--preferably sometime in the later afternoon because I doubt either of us will be awake before that,” Buck says, standing awkwardly next to the car, hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans. 

“Yeah, you can call me in the afternoon,” Josh snorts. “Any time before three P.M and I might have to tell your sister I murdered you.” 

“Understood.” 

Josh turns to the car, but hesitates. He turns back to Buck and before he can talk himself out of it he raises on his tiptoes, one hand steadying himself on Buck’s shoulder, and presses a kiss to Buck’s cheek. “Thanks for the rescue.” 

“It’s what I do,” Buck says and Josh can tell that he’s flustered, “but uh, I enjoyed it.” 

“Yeah?” Josh asks, back on his heel, but still close. He lets his hand slide down from Buck’s shoulder, fingers trailing lightly down the muscle of Buck’s arm. “Me too.” 

Buck’s mouth opens like he wants to say something and then closes again, he clears his throat. They’re swaying into each other, chests bumping and parting again. “Can I…”   
Josh doesn’t let him finish, leaning back into him and catching his mouth in a soft kiss. 

It’s brutally short thank to the loud honk of the uber driver, but it was still soft and sweet and Josh feels entirely too breathless as he pulls away. He squeezes Buck’s arm and then slides into the back seat of the car. “Don’t forget to call me.” 

Buck nods his head. “I won't.” 

—

On the way home Josh receives a text from Buck asking him for a date when they’re both awake and Josh smiles the entire ride home. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](https://lovelylittlegrim.tumblr.com)


End file.
